Tourist Booklet

By Ms. Timm

About the Pocono Mountains With 2,400 square miles encompassing northeast Pennsylvania's Carbon, Monroe,

Pike and Wayne counties, the Pocono Mountains region is home to rolling

mountain terrain, breathtakingly beautiful waterfalls, thriving woodlands and 170

miles of winding rivers. Winters offer guests the opportunity to ski, snowboard,

snow tube and even snowshoe their way through snowy wonderlands

encompassing over 163 ski trails, while summers also cater to the active traveler

allowing exploration of 261 miles of hiking and biking trails, over 35 golf courses,

whitewater rafting, boating, fishing and open access to nine state and two

national parks.

Any time of year is a good time to visit the Pocono Mountains, located within

driving distance of most major East Coast cities. This region steaming with history

offers year-round cultural tours and art exhibitions, abundant antiquing and

brand-name shopping and a full calendar of festivals showcasing the heritage,

music and food of the Pocono Mountains.

Even the most discerning traveler will find comfortable accommodations in the

Pocono Mountains, which offers an eclectic mix of resorts, distinctive properties

and quaint, country inns and bed and breakfasts.

All of this makes the Poconos ideal for a family vacation or reunion, corporate

meeting or convention, wedding or couples getaway or a motor coach trip.

Seasons

The Pocono Mountains' seasons are a palette of colors and experiences, ranging from the enchanting holidays and spring mountains bursting with color to the outdoor adventures of summertime and the breathtaking colors of fall.

In the Poconos, you'll find plenty to do no matter what time of year it is. Pick your season for the best of fall, winter, spring and summer!

SPRING in the Poconos

Spring blooms best in the Pocono Mountains with the color and fragrance of the beautiful Mountain Laurel that cascade down the hillsides, frame the rushing creeks and outline the clear mountain lakes in faint pink blossoms. As the days get warmer, the Pocono Mountains heats up with a resurgence of many outdoor activities. Spring is in the air and life is reborn. With the change of season comes the change in attitudes. Pleasures abound as once-bare trees and meadows burst into

a riot of blooms. The melting snow and spring rains cause whitewater to rush down from the top of the mountains creating excellent whitewater rafting conditions, especially on the winding Delaware and Lehigh Rivers. Fun-seekers delight in whitewater rafting, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, golfing, hiking, mountain biking and tennis. A season of wine, food and ethnic festivals, shopping and pampering awaits, as well. Recap the benefits of spring with plenty of adventure, fun and relaxation.

SUMMER in the Poconos

Summers cater to the active traveler allowing exploration of 261 miles of hiking and biking trails, 170 miles of winding rivers and over 35 golf courses. For cool and refreshing summer fun, crystal clear rivers and lakes, including Lake Wallenpaupack, one of Pennsylvania's largest lakes, offer unsurpassed sailing, boating, water skiing, jet skiing and scenic dinner cruises.

It's a time when the Pocono Mountains come alive with family fun parks and attractions, summer theaters, museums, county fairs and concerts. Experience new tastes and great music at a wine, food or ethnic festival. Catch a rising star at a Pocono Mountains nightspot. Take a lazy tube ride down a winding river. Watch a spectacular Fourth of July fireworks display. Have a picnic lunch at a waterfall. Rise above it all on a scenic air tour of the Pocono Mountains. Go jump in one of the Pocono Mountains 150 lakes or

indoor/outdoor water parks. If you're feeling a little adventurous, play paintball or go stock car racing at the raceway. Escape back to nature on a canoeing, rafting, fishing or camping trip. Check out an arts and crafts fair. For a more laid back experience, sightseeing on horseback or a scenic, historic train ride may fit the bill.

FALL in the Poconos

Fall in the Pocono Mountains offers visitors brilliant shows of color and fun for the whole family. To help you catch the foliage at its peak of color, call our fall foliage hotline (in season) at (570) 421-5565 which provides weekly updates on when the leaves are at

their spectacular best, from mid-September through the end of October. Savor fall's breathtaking foliage

in the Pocono Mountains with a leisurely horseback ride, afternoon hike or a chairlift ride at one of our ski areas. Or, take a hayride, mountain bike or even old-fashioned train ride through a colorful canopy of flaming colors. There are many delightful scenic driving routes through the Pocono Mountains. Fall is the perfect time for a drive through our quaint towns in search of the perfect antiques, or a

trip to a farm stand or pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect pumpkin. Bring some friends to a county fair, hot air balloon, lumberjack, arts and crafts festival,

or get in that last round of golf.

WINTER in the Poconos

Enjoying winter sports is among the many ways to spend a winter day in the Pocono Mountains. Eight major ski areas are located in the Poconos. For fantastic downhill and cross-country skiing and snowboarding, the Pocono Mountains are among the best in the East. From upgrades and new facilities to technologically advanced grooming equipment, fully-stocked rental shops and better trails, the Pocono Mountains' ski areas are offering winter visitors a new and thrilling winter recreational experience. Over 185 slopes and trails beckon, from steep expert slopes with challenging moguls,

moderate trails for intermediates to cruise and gentle confidence building beginner hills for learning, to awesome terrain parks and Half-Pipes for snowboarders. Other popular winter activities in the region include dog sledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice skating, sleigh riding, snowshoeing, tobogganing and more. Or if you'd rather cozy up by the fireplace, you can enjoy this winter wonderland from indoors. Visitors can enjoy a bevy of indoor entertainment, whether it be dining at one of the region's unique restaurants, cozying up by the fire at one of the area's many resorts, inns or bed and breakfasts, shopping for bargains at outlet malls or taking a visit to one of the region's cultural and historical attractions.

Places to Stay Bushkill Inn and Conference Center -Located in the beautiful Poconos Mountains, Bushkill Inn & Conference

Center is about to open its all-new, expanded facility. The former Pocmont Hotel

will be fully modernized, with luxurious private

rooms, suites and cabins. The new hotel will

include 14,000 square feet of meeting space,

four excellent on-site eating facilities, a media

room, a modern fitness center, The Serenity

Spa, and myriad other exciting features. This will truly make the Bushkill Inn &

Conference Center one of the most luxurious Pocono resorts in the region.

Chateau Resort and Conference Center -The Chateau Resort & Conference Center is an AAA 3 Diamond property. A

perfect escape located in the heart of the Beautiful

Pocono Mountains at the base of Camelback Mountain.

The Chateau Resort has 152 guest accommodations

including 37 lofted suites and Mountainside rooms with

breathtaking views of Big Pocono State Park. 17,000

square feet of flexible event and meeting space is ideal to cater to your specific

needs.

Chestnut Grove Resort - Experience an old fashioned family vacation with campfires, sing-alongs,

hayrides and weenie roasts. The kids

will never say "What can we do." We

are located on 20 beautiful acres in the

Pocono Mountains. Chestnut Grove is

one of Pennsylvania's finest mountain

resorts.

Cove Haven Resort -Your couples-only, all-inclusive escape - a plush suite, breakfast-in-bed,

indoor and outdoor activities, unlimited breakfasts and dinners and

entertainment every night. Relax in a luxurious suite featuring cozy fireplaces, in-

room pools, heart-shaped whirlpools and more.

Ehrhardt’s Waterfront Resort -For more than a half a century, the Ehrhardt Family has

hosted people searching for the perfect home away from home.

Our spectacular location on the shore of Lake Wallenpaupack –

featuring lovely landscaped lawns and shade trees, with

picturesque mountains as a backdrop – provides an ideal setting

for a relaxing getaway, business retreat or family reunion.

Fernwood Hotel and Resort -A full service, four season, 400-acre retreat

nestled in the rolling hills of the Pocono Mountains.

Offering extensive amenities and facilities, Easy to get

to and provides the ideal escape and the perfect place

for a family vacation or group getaway. Fernwood features an array of year-round

amenities including 18-hole par 71 golf course, full service meeting facilities, two

lakes, restaurants, live entertainment, fitness facilities, year-round horseback

riding, indoor and outdoor pools, the Game Zone Interactive Play Center and a

Winter Fun center that offers snow tubing. Planned schedule of daily activities for

guest of all ages from crafts for children to self-guided designer outlet shopping

excursions are sure to be a hit with your family. Fernwood Hotel and Resort is an

easy drive from New York and Philadelphia.

Great wolf Lodge -One of the Pocono

Mountains newest family resorts. Featuring

a, year-round indoor waterpark in a casual

Northwood themed setting offers 401

spacious family suites, casual restaurants, a

shopping emporium, arcade and

MagiQuest - an interactive scavenger hunt

type game. Many rate packages include

tickets or admission to Pocono area attractions.

The Inn at Pocono Manor -Turn-of-the-century, 3,500 acre resort

features a world-class spa, 36 holes of

championship golf. The Inn is an Orvis-endorsed

lodge with fly-fishing andsporting clays, horseback

riding and unlimited amenities.

Accessible to all major highways.

The Lodge at Woodloch -Elegant destination spa resort featuring 58

luxurious guest rooms each with a private veranda. The

Lodge includes Gourmet spa cuisine and a 40,000

square foot spa. Set on 75 wooded acres with private

lake. Golf adjacent.

Malibu Dude Ranch - Malibu Dude Ranch is the oldest working

dude ranch east of the Mississippi. All inclusive

packages by the day or overnight include meals

and amenities. Professional rodeos and barrel

races are held in our arena. We offer horseback

trail rides on 800 acres, row boating and fishing

in the lake, skeet or archery on the rifle range,

tennis, volleyball, basketball, horseshoes, indoor heated pool, game room,

Saturday night hayride and bonfire and country western saloon and dance floor

on weekends with live entertainment. We are a destination site for corporate

events, family reunions weddings, various clubs and organizations, Boy Scout and

Girl Scout activities.

Things to do

Winter

Skiing Modest mountains.Deep snow.Short lines. Fast lifts. Impeccably groomed trails.

Sound like a dream come true? It’s time to stop dreaming, shift your winter into

high gear and plan your incredible Pocono skiing vacation where anyone can find

their little slice of heaven.

With a history dating back to 1946 when the Pocono Mountains welcomed the first commercial ski area in Pennsylvania and perfected the art of snowmaking, the Poconos have become a bonafide ski destination. Today, the Poconos have it all… whether it be the corduroy groomed beginner slopes or the double black diamonds and terrain parks to test your skills. Get out and experience the exhilaration when your skis start sliding down a Pocono slope.

Alpine Mountain Ski & Snow Tubing Center

Big Boulder Ski Area

Blue Mountain Ski Area

Camelback Mountain Resort

Jack Frost Mountain

Shawnee Mountain

Ski Big Bear

Snowboarding

The Poconos has quickly become a haven for boarders with TransWorld Snowboarding rating some of the terrain parks the best on the East Coast of Canada and across the United States. Now that’s quite a statement!

The gentle wide-open beginner trails of the Pocono resorts make learning the moves so easy. Seasoned snowboarders can experience an offering of Half-Pipes, fun boxes, rail slides and jumps. There are enough Pocono terrain parks to keep you snowboarding all winter long. So while the sun is shining and the powder is

fresh, grab your board and hit the slopes because snowboarders love the Pocono Mountains!

Alpine Mountain Ski & Snow Tubing Center

Big Boulder Ski Area - Snowboarding

Blue Mountain Ski Area - Snowboarding

Camelback Mountain Resort - Snowboarding

Jack Frost Mountain- Snowboarding

Shawnee Mountain- Snowboarding

Ski Big Bear – Snowboarding

Ice Skating

Ice skating is a sport that combines both grace and beauty with fun and exercise. In the Pocono Mountains, you will find plenty of places to go ice skating, including indoor rinks, outdoor rinks, ponds, lakes and streams. However, before you lace up those skates and do your best Brian Boitano or Tara Lipinski (a Pennsylvania native), make sure the ice is safe before venturing out. Ask locals and look for signposts.

Beltzville State Park – Winter Recreation

Gouldsboro State Park – Winter Recreation

Hickory Run State Park – Winter Recreation

Malibu Dude Ranch

Promised Land State Park – Winter Recreation

Tobyhanna State Park – Winter Recreation

Spring/Summer/Fall Activities

Beaches

Turn off your cell phone and soak up the incredible ambiance of being lakeside on a Poconos sandy beach.

Beltzville State Park – Beach

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area- Beach

Gouldsboro State Park

Hickory Run State Park & Boulder Field

Mauch Chunk Lake Park

Promised Land State Park

Tobyhanna State Park – Beach

Tubing/Rafting

Tubing on the rivers of the Pocono Mountains is the place to be on those hot

steamy, summer days. Schedule a trip with a Pocono outfitter and just lay back,

relax and drift along. For something a bit more surreal... journey under the stars

and explore the nightlife under a midsummer moon as glow sticks dance around

you like fireflies. Does it get any better than that?

Adventures Center at Whitewater Challenges

Chamberlain Canoes, Rafts, Kayaks, and Tubing

Jim Thorpe River Adventures

Kittatinny Canoes, Inc.

Lander’s River Trips

Lehigh Gorge State Park

Pocono Whitewater Adventures

Shawnee River Tips

Whitewater Rafting Adventures

Information brought in from:

http://www.800poconos.com/